Tens of thousands of black-tailed gulls arrived at Hailyu Island in the county-level city of Rongcheng, Weihai in East China's Shandong province thanks to the city's environmental protection progress.

Hailyu Island is located in the northern area of the sea near Chengshan Mountain Head, which boasts picturesque views and is far from land. Flocks of black-tailed gulls come to Rongcheng, and breed and nest on the beautiful island every March.

Many other migrant species, such as whooper swans, egrets, black-headed gulls, and willow warblers, visit Rongcheng during the winter and autumn seasons, in addition to black-tailed gulls. Thousands of whooper swans come to Rongcheng each year, many from the Siberian region, and stay for around five months, making it one of the world's greatest wintering grounds for whooper swans. According to the local government, the safe living environment has attracted an increasing number of swans to spend the winter in Rongcheng.

Tens of thousands of black-tailed gulls forage along the coast in Rongcheng, Weihai in East China's Shandong province. [Photo/WeChat account: gh_f9cf8f87e231]

The black-tailed gull is a summer seabird, and is a unique species that migrates to the east coast of Asia. [Photo/WeChat account: gh_f9cf8f87e231]

Flocks of black-tailed gulls come to Rongcheng, breed and nest on the beautiful island every March. [Photo/WeChat account: gh_f9cf8f87e231]